Seed Principle: The first house is the physical body and its expression into the world. The appearance, prominent personality traits and attributes, our general approach to life and how we express our self are all seen from the first house – the first “Dharma” house.

The body part of the first house has to do with the top of the head, which is the source of inspiration. We are meant to follow our own unique, individual course through life and establish our own personal authority based on what is highest and closest to God.
1st house people: You are the 1st house person. Also, relationship partners are a mirror reflection to you, showing clarity through contrast.

Activities: All activities that occur in the present moment, which may include everything, if we are present to it. The first house shows the nature of all activities.

Environment: Wherever we find ourselves currently is the environment of the first house.
Objects: Our body and anything in our immediate environment, now.

Planetary Indicators: The Sun and ruling planet (the 1st house ruler) are the planets related to the 1st house. Mercury and Jupiter have directional strength in the 1st house as they allow us to most easily gain wisdom (Jupiter) and adjust (Mercury) to first house experiences.

Guna / Lesson: Personal IntelligenceGeneral Explanation:
The truth of our experiences to be the greatest teacher in life is what makes the first house a dharma house. The first house establishes a physical body and presence.

The physical body is the only part of us that is present at all times. Every spiritual tradition knows, the keys to the kingdom of heaven are to be in the present. It is the constant chattering of the mind, the projection of emotions from the past into the future, that takes us away from the “reality” – which exists in every moment.

That presence begins with being present in the body. Our body (which includes our mind) contains cumulative power and wisdom of the entire universe. It is the nexus of wisdom around which everything else revolves. It is the anchor of our existence, taking care of enormously complex processes all the time.

From digesting our food, to pumping our blood, to continuously breathing. This is why all spiritual traditions in one way or another, emphasize spiritual practices based on being present to the genius of the body.

Everything that we will become will happen as a matter of our real-time experiences through the body/mind/nervous system. The truth of who we are is actually the truth of what we have experienced through the matrix of the mind/body complex. We may have a lot of ideas about who we are, but the truth of who we are and what we really know can be seen directly by what we have experienced. We have incarnated in a world of matter and form, our body is that form. It establishes our present life circumstances, based on the cumulative results of our past karmas. These circumstances frame our free will, our actions in the present, through the body, in real time. The first house is a house of Dharma, because it shows the matrix through which we must process, learn and grow. That matrix is the physical body itself, and all that implies.

Based on the body and physiology we have, a truthful identity develops. This identity should not be confused with the “ego“, our sense of separateness. The identity of the first house, is not the separate/willful identity of the ego (that is the third house). I want to repeat that again, because this is at odds with what is normally said.

The first house is not the ego, it is that truthful, beautiful Self you spend your entire life trying to access and express. It is that one and only gift to the universe that is “you“. This is also the “rising sign“. It relates directly to the eastern horizon at the moment of birth, as the Earth was turning. The traits of this sign give us our truthful identity in this lifetime (the Sun gives us our “non-embodied” truthful identity). It is from the first house that we come to know the most important qualities of any individual, and their main orientations in life.

Evolutionary Process:
“From glorifying the physical body and its power, to expressing a strong, unique personality and identity toward others, to seeing oneself as a creature of spirit, not of form or emotion is the evolutionary process of the first house.”

The effects of planets in the first house:Sun in the first house gives strong vitality and a healthy level of self-confidence. However, it may also bring an overbearing nature and excessive ego.

The Moon in the first house brings a gentle, approachable nature. Often there is a large round face and large eyes. Yet, a person may act with inconsistency and lack confidence. They may spend too much time trying to please others and connect with others.

Mars in the first house natives often feel pushy and aggressive. They need to slow down and work on patience. Yet, there will be a lot of enthusiasm and passion for life. They will usually be quite competitive.

Mercury in the first house gives a very curious and experimental approach to life. There will usually be balanced and even features and attractiveness. The native will adjust easily to life circumstances, but may also speak too much and be scattered.

Jupiter in the first house will often make someone tall or perhaps heavy. There is usually optimism and hope and the person will often raise their eyes to the sky when they speak. They will be philosophical, but may also be over optimistic, overlooking important details.

Venus in the first house makes for attractiveness and usually lovely eyes and often curly hair. There will be pleasant manners and likability. But there may also be laziness, excessive compromise and perhaps sensual indulgence.

Saturn in the first house often makes one tall and thin. There may be crooked or prominent teeth. The native may hesitate and be overcome by past mistakes. There will often be a sunken or sullen nature, dark circles under the eyes and a sort of grouchy surface nature.

Rahu in the first house makes for an native who is learning to be alone in this lifetime. This leads to eccentric and unpredictable behavior. This person feels like an outcast, but may make enormous progress in self-knowledge as a result. They will always be in search of a core identity beneath the many roles they must play.

Ketu in the first house and the native is often aware of every flaw in their character. They may be humble, even anonymous, preferring to blend in to the crowd. Yet there will be a quiet composure about these natives and a concentration of energy.

BIO

Sam Geppi (Sadasiva) is the author of “Yoga and Vedic Astrology” and “The Ascendant-108 Planets of Vedic Astrology”. He is the founder of the American Academy of Vedic Art and Science – which offers level 1-3 Certification programs in Vedic Astrology. Currently the Academy has more than 250 students enrolled. Sam is certified level 1 and 2 through ACVA and CVA and was hired by Dattatreya Shiva Baba to teach the first Astroved Vedic Astrology Certification Program in 2010.